FAQ

Is the nutrition restrictive?

Not at all, in fact it’s more likely more then what you are consuming now. Most individuals these days with busy lifestyles are well under eating their basal metabolic rate, therefore causing metabolic damage and increasing weight gain as the body adapts to under eating. Depending on the client’s health history and overall goals, for most I start on an Elimination System to reset the overall metabolism and assist in regulating the hormones and insulin levels. An Elimination System cuts out all wheat, gluten, dairy and sugar – but is not caloric restrictive. Also is based around eating regularly every 2 ½ to 3hrs.

Do I need to take the supplements suggested?

Again depending on the client’s health history and any intolerances or sensitivities taken into consideration there is a recommended vitamin regime designed. Three of the most common staples are a Multivitamin, Fish Oil and Probiotic. There may be additional support suggested again depending on the client’s assessment with me and their personal goals. Also recommended is a top quality antibiotic and hormone free Protein Powder. The brands I recommend are of a great quality and easy for my client to obtain at many locations and online – of course whichever is most convenient for them.

How long until I see results?

The results vary as much as each client does. Depending on level of metabolic damage and/or hormonal dysfunction will depend on timelines. The average amount of weight without any other factors present would be 2lbs of body fat per week. However I always encourage every client to take progress pictures. As the training progresses the changes to one’s form will be obvious and present in progress pictures. Strength and stamina increases will be pronounced within the first month.

What is metabolic damage, do I have that?

“Metabolic Damage” and “Metabolic Adaptation” are probably terms you’ve heard floating around the fitness industry as of late. They are typically used when referring to the physiological adaptations that take place when someone is in too great of an intended calorie deficit for too long. This deficit can be from reduced calorie intake, increased calorie expenditure via exercise, or a combination of the two. Personally, I call this phenomenon a “Metabolic Shift” because I think it’s important that we remove the fear of permanence in regards to what has happened. It’s important to me that women don’t think of themselves as broken or damaged, and that they recognize that only some of these shifts are permanent some of the time.

“Dieting” (for most of us) means “a lot less food, and a lot more gym,” (namely, cardio) and it seems to be our default when it comes to weight loss. Sure, we may acknowledge that strength training is important, and we might have some grasp on our hormones’ roles and functions, but we are conditioned to go back to this extreme “solution” in desperate times, because after all, a calorie deficit is what’s most important, right?

Years of serial dieting, slashing calories, and managing everything (from stress, to guilt after eating something we deem “bad”) with food restriction and another punishing mile on the treadmill have left us in a bad spot. Not only is it nearly impossible to maintain, but we’re often not getting any results, and it makes it too easy to feel like we’re racking up one more “failure” that leaves us wondering,

Our body’s natural inclination is to “store up” for tough times, especially if we’ve experienced a prolonged calorie deficit. We have to fight that inclination daily given the unrelenting stress we’re under, and readily-available, calorie-dense food of our modern world. We know all of this, of course, yet years of diet marketing still lures us toward killing ourselves in the gym day in and day out, and slashing calories to rock-bottom to drop those excess pounds. But our hormones have other plans.
The up and down blood sugar stress adds to inflammation, which creates more stress, and on and on that cycle goes. Meanwhile, in the background, more problems arise with digestion and intestinal permeability, which adds to inflammation, making insulin resistance worse.

What role does Cortisol play in my weight loss goals?

This stress hormone comes into play when the stress of your diet gets to be too much. Initially stress hormones are high throughout the day, but in time they can become deregulated—high at the wrong times of day, low at the wrong times of day, or even low overall. Cortisol gets tangled up with insulin quickly as your blood sugar bounces from high to low and you wage a battle with your appetite, cravings and energy. Sleep often takes a hit due to cortisol irregularities as well, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Access cortisol in the system can lead to a host of inflammation issues, most predominately showing up in excess abdominal fat (ie: that tire or muffin top).

What role does my thyroid play in my weight loss?

Cutting calories too low—and for some, cutting carbs specifically—can really impact active thyroid hormone (T3) levels and can increase inactive hormone levels. Reverse T3 can rise in part due to cortisol/stress of dieting, as well as issues with the appetite controlling hormone, leptin. Thyroid gets involved right from the start as leptin starts to take a dive. In time, low thyroid can linger as a result of dietary restriction.

What role does Estrogen and Progesterone play?

Cutting calories too low—and for some, cutting carbs specifically—can really impact active thyroid hormone (T3) levels and can increase inactive hormone levels. Reverse T3 can rise in part due to cortisol/stress of dieting, as well as issues with the appetite controlling hormone, leptin. Thyroid gets involved right from the start as leptin starts to take a dive. In time, low thyroid can linger as a result of dietary restriction.